first gate for local stables

[Fellows]

spent the whole day putting in a gate and fencing for some mates stables. The gate is there to stop the horses getting onto the island. had a whole day listening to the river and birds, with a wood fire burning.

bare in mind it was my first attempt and i am unsure how to make the rails look even on uneven ground...any experience out there to help an hobbyist/amature?

[Tony1948]

Ya drop all three rails on the right side about 3in.

[Fellows]

nice suggestion Tony!! the ground climbs tho and i can't drop the rails and keep them square... any other suggestions?

[Big T]

Raise the ones on the left. Put a straight piece of timber on top of the rails on the right and move the ones up on the left so they are in line. If the slope is too severe and you end up with a big gap under the rails then you might have to go with the lie of the land. To do this take the rails of, use a string line from the very right hand post and string it along to the very left hand post, the distance above the ground that you want the bottom rails. Fix bottom rails in place, fix top rails the height you want them and then fit middle rail in the middle!

[Fellows]

ah ok, so it's acceptable practice to have sloping rails on sloping ground? i 'stepped' it as i assumed it would not be.

cool. My mates more than happy with it, she wants me to do a couple of others so i'll use the string line texhnique next time.

thanks guys

[Big T]

It depends on the slope of the ground and how long your rails are. If it's quite a big slope then you would have to use a lot of shorter rails and more posts if you want to step it. Sloping is fine, obviously the posts still need to be level!

[Proventurer]

spent the whole day putting in a gate and fencing for some mates stables. The gate is there to stop the horses getting onto the island. had a whole day listening to the river and birds, with a wood fire burning.

bare in mind it was my first attempt and i am unsure how to make the rails look even on uneven ground...any experience out there to help an hobbyist/amature?

The reality of it is, providing the gate is functional and the fence is sound, I don't think the horses care how it looks!

[Fellows]

i agree. the gate is definately solid and the horses arn't going anywhere they shouldn't!

the need for the gate presented itself when they found the horses up against the kitchen window!!

[headshot]

i would put another post in the middle and you can then drop the rails next to the gate 3" and raise them where the ground comes up keeping it all level,its a bit like a hedge,i wouldent cut it on the slope but would step it,just looks better on the eye.
to be fair though that slope doesent look to bad and neither does the fence against it,a good first go i'd say...atb kev